Leafing Through Pages – Murder In Moscow (Murder, She Wrote # 10)

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Stars: 2.5 / 5

Recommendation: A disappointing tale in the series considering Jessica is more of a pawn with impulsive decisions rather than being her usual confident self who can figure out the killer(s) at the end. There is no satisfaction of unraveling the clues and suddenly everything makes sense. That is why I cannot say I didn’t like or like since there was murder, adventure and danger but no conclusion.

Murder in Moscow is the tenth novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Donald Bain & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on May 1, 1998. This time Jessica is on an international trip to Moscow to help the new Russia build its publishing and writing communities. And she gets pulled into murder, espionage and an adventure that might put her life at risk. 

This is my take on the series of books written by a plethora of authors and Jessica Fletcher (fictional author) based on the 80s and 90s popular American crime drama television series Murder, She Wrote. These books are ghost written by Donald Bain and fictional author Jessica Fletcher for the first 43 books until 2015. Then Donald Bain wrote these with Renee Paley Bain and Jon Land for four more books before Jon Land alone continued with Jessica Fletcher for 5 more books until 2020. Starting 2021 the series was picked by Terrie Farley Moran again pairing with the fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. As of 2023, 56 books have been written in this series. They are all written in first person narration.

Since the first part of the novel is set in Washington D.C., we get a historical tour as well through the eyes of Jessica. Somethings I read I wasn’t aware too, even though I had been a tourist to D.C. at least four times. And we get history of Moscow when the plot reaches Russia.

We continue to see Jim Shevlin as mayor of Cabot Cove, as opposed to Sam Booth. But remember Sam being the mayor in the 29th book Murder on Parade which I read a few years ago.

Interesting to see Bain using Baldacci as last name for one of his characters. He again repeats using last makes of famous people in real life, this time of author David Baldacci. References to real-life authors also has not gone unnoticed. Bain continually uses the real-life authors books that his character Jessica indulges in.

Considering this was written in 1998, it was obviously after the Iron Curtain was dropped. The Russian president is called Yeltsin and the US President as President Singleton. One would expect the rivalry between the two countries to have diminished after the Iron Curtain, but we see shades from US politics and defense teams who are looking at every opportunity to spy on Russia even if they are not called spies.

Jessica mentions that this is the first time she is flying to Moscow. However, if the books were a continuation of the TV show, Jessica had already been to Moscow in the Season 5 Episode 14 “From Russia…With Blood”. Shouldn’t the books have been a continuation of the TV shows?

I am not sure if I liked this book enough or disliked it enough. It felt more like a government based fiction rather than a Murder, She Wrote novel. Jessica is simply a pawn played by both US and Russian governments. There are so many open ended questions that never get answered.

It was frustrating that no body answers any questions and Jessica is continually pushed around. And again she is impulsive, reckless and falls into trouble despite several warnings from several of them.

And then coming to one of the supporting characters. After that person put Jessica through hell, kidnapping her, then dredging them around all over Moscow, climbing a three foot brick wall; climb down a metal ladder from the roof of a building almost slipping and breaking her bones, Jessica still considers them as a good friend and as if they were family. How can she forgive a person even if it was for greater good? I would not have been able to forgive them at all. That bothered me a lot.

And after all that they go through, we don’t see any resolution for the murders that happen in the book. It seemed odd that the writer didn’t solve. And more odder that Jessica didn’t solve it either.

We get to see George Sutherland again in this book, albeit for a very short time, towards the end of the book. It was a pleasant change to see some romance after all the rush and rough journey that Jessica and the Buckleys endure.

A disappointing tale in the series considering Jessica is more of a pawn with impulsive decisions rather than being her usual confident self who can figure out the killer(s) at the end. There is no satisfaction of unraveling the clues and suddenly everything makes sense. That is why I cannot say I didn’t like or like since there was murder, adventure and danger but no conclusion.

Spoiler Alerts:

1. Plot Reveals:
   1. U.S. Political dignitaries in Washington D.C. and Russia: Sam Roberts, commerce department; Ed Rodier, Sam’s assistant; Mike Moga, works for Sam; John Baldacci, Cabot Cove’s congressman; Larry Benoit, John’s assistant; Joe Galway, congressman from California; Pam Prawley, special assistant to the president for cultural affairs; Mr. Petrov, translator; Karl Warner, works for State Department; Tom Mulligan, US Ambassador in Russia; Harrison Monroe, a government agent; John Voger, embassy’s commerce official;
   2. Publishers and writers in the exchange program between USA and Russia: Vladislav “Vlady” Staritova, Jessica’s Russian publisher, and his wife; Dimitri Rublev, Russian writer; Marshall Tracy, publish travel guides; Alexandra Kozhina, a Russian writer
   3. Political officials in Moscow: Pyotr Belopolsky, Russian counterpart to Sam Roberts; Mr. Sergius; Captain Kazakov, Moscow Militia; Peter Lomonosov, works for Cultural Exchange Office in Russia;
   4. Other characters: Bob Woodstein, reporter; Marge Fargo, female publisher;
   5. There is still no resolution as to who or how Ward Wenington was killed in D.C. and why Vladislav “Vlady” Staritova was killed in Russia. What was the connection?
   6. Alexandra Kozhina writes a book on being double agent after a year of the incidents that happen. She also disappears at the end of the plot. How is she a good friend if she disappears without a note? And will she surface in another book?
2. Sub Plots:
   1. Friends of Jessica Fletcher: Dr. Seth Hazlitt, long-time friend in Cabot Cove, Maine; George Sutherland, senior inspector with Scotland Yard; Morton “Mort” Metzger, Cabot Cove Sherriff and his wife Adele; ; Eve Simpson, realtor friend working at Cabot Cove Realty; Sam Booth, mayor of Cabot Cove; Ethan Cragg, Cabot Cove’s chief town elder;
   2. Literary contacts and friends: her publisher Vaughan Buckley of Buckley House, his fashion model wife Olga Buckley and their dogs Sadie and Rose; Harry McGraw, her private eye friend; Matt Miller, her literary agent;
   3. Other Characters appear frequently: Josh, the mailman; Jed Richardson, only bush pilot for Cabot Cove and owner of Jed’s Flying Service, and his wife Alicia; Mara, restaurant owner of Mara’s Luncheonette; Hank Weathers, a homeless war vet; Seamus McGilray, manager of Hill House Hotel; Dick Mann, Fire Chief; Charlene Sassi, a baker; Susan Shevlin, travel agent and her husband Jim who is the Mayor of Cabot Cove; Professor Donskoy; Roberta Dougherty, bookstore owner; Richard Koser, photographer; Tim Purdy, real estate agent; Barbara DePaoli, Chamber of Commerce’s secretary; Anthon Colarusso, dentist; Beth ad Peter Mullin, owners of flower shop Old Tyme Floral; Sam Davis, investment advisor; Jack Decker, publisher of Cabot Cove’s monthly magazine;
   4. Sheriff Metzger’s office staff: Deputy Andy Jenks; Deputy Jack;
   5. Jessica Fletcher’s family – Grady Fletcher, nephew that she and her late-husband Frank raise, his wife Donna and child Frank;
   6. In the 6th book, A Deadly Judgment, Dr. Seth Hazlitt is seen dating jury consultant Jill Farkas at the end of the book. Did that spill into any subsequent books? At least I don’t remember from reading either the 7th book A Palette for Murder or the 8th book The Highland Fling Murders. May be this was only pat of the 6th book plot.
   7. George and Jessica continue to meet in every other book, increasing their intimacy. But I guess the romance will still have to wait.
   8. From the 9th book, Murder on the QE2: Mary Ward has been a prominent character in this book. Will she resurface again?
   9. From the 51st book, The Murder of Twelve:
      1. Author Land gives considerable mystery to Seamus McGilray’s character. I wonder if he resurfaces in a future book.
      2. Towards the end of the book, Mort jokes that Jessica should run for mayor. Hmm…something to look forward to I suppose.
   10. In the 50th book, A Time for Murder, Jessica is shown at Hill House, Cabot Cove’s very own Inn due to a fire at her Victorian home at 698 Candlewood Lame. I wonder if the 49th book, Murder in Red, has anything to do with her house getting caught fire which almost killed her.
3. Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
   1. On Pg. 170, Line 7, it should be “…never been given to me…”
   2. On Pg. 180, Line 4, there is an extra opening quote before the word “Before”.
   3. The emergency number to call in UK is 999. But on Pg. 284, we see that the onlooker calls 911. How will 911 work in London?